Rotary Clubs cannot stand still: there are so many people who need our care and attention, some local, nationally and globally. I look forward to increasing our reach, our influence, and public awareness of Rotary; however, I will only be able to do that with your help!

We established a strategy for the coming three years: (1) Grow the Membership; (2) Support Rotary Foundation; and (3) Increase awareness of Rotary in the local community.

So far, we have welcomed three new Rotary “corporate members” and one new Rotarian, and I am determined that this trend will continue into 2015-16. We will be supporting Rotary Foundation by a donation from our charity account, but also by encouraging donations/fund-raising from our members, and getting support from local businesses. Increasing awareness of Rotary in our local community has been increased recently through our links with local Academies, our partnership with the Portobello Business Centre, and the One Westminster volunteer centre. One Westminster want to partner with us for a year, while PBC will continue as business associates, by supporting our efforts and having joint business networking events.

We aim to increase the membership of the Rotary Club of Paddington through “showing and sharing” all the projects that we have developed. We have completed a major project in Italy, funded by Club members and Friends, plus grants from Rotary Foundation. I hope to complete similar accomplishments, using a Rotary Community Corps project, based around Let’s Loop Westminster. This will involve partnering with our business friends and the voluntary sector to improve the experience for the hard of hearing in Westminster.

As a result of our association with the Portobello Business Centre, I expect the public profile of the Rotary Club of Paddington to be increased, as we work in association to create some economic development projects in Paddington and North Westminster, particularly benefitting women who have caring responsibilities. We will be working with them in developing a business networking or similar initiative.

There is a need for the Rotary Club of Paddington to be attractive to possible new members by having flexible and innovative meetings; only by offering what they want will we get an increase in membership. We need to find more corporate members, and more Friends of Paddington Rotary, and use social media more.

Over recent years, we have been frequent beneficiaries from Rotary Foundation, and I hope that this would continue. However, in order for the fund to continue to support Rotary club initiatives through grants, it has to be sustained by donations from both Rotarians and other sources. I hope that we will continue with our collective Club donation to maintain our Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) status.

I am looking towards partnering with Rotaract on projects and with shared events, and similarly with other Rotary clubs, too. Whatever we do, we cannot do it alone!

Mac Purcell, BAClub President 2015-16

Meeting information

Meets every Tuesday. Second Tuesday of each month is an internal business meeting. (Please note: We do not meet on the Tuesday immediately following a Bank Holiday Monday.)
Time: 19:00
Location: Thistle Kensington Gardens Hotel, 104 Bayswater Road London, W2 3HL (1st Floor).
Note: Please contact the Club Secretary at secretary@paddingtonrotary.org.uk if you are planning to visit.